United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Girl arrested for prank tweet to American Airlines
A Dutch teenager who sent a threatening tweet to American Airlines as a joke has been arrested after walking into a police station and giving herself up.
However, the 14-year-old’s prank has set off a chain of copycat tweets to American and other US airlines.
The girl, who uses the twitter name @QueenDemetriax, is being interviewed by officers after she apparently appeared at the police station in Rotterdam, accompanied by a relative.
She has not been charged with any offence.
American Airlines had threatened to report her to the FBI after she tweeted: "hello my name’s Ibrahim and I’m from Afghanistan. I’m part of Al Qaida and on June 1st I’m gonna do something really big bye"
American Airlines responded, saying it took all threats seriously and had passed her IP (Internet Protocol) address to the FBI.
It is not clear if the airline carried out its threat after the girl apologised profusely on twitter for the prank, said she was only 14 and scared, and deleted her original tweet.
Since her arrest, dozens of Twitter trolls have tweeted bomb threats, most of them aimed at American Airlines but some have named Southwest and USAirways.
One said: @AmericanAir You really seem to not care that i’m about to bomb your plane that’s headed to Paris. Btw, my name is Ahmed.
Another wrote: @AmericanAir I have a bomb under the next plane to take off
And a third joked: @SouthwestAir I bake really good pies and my friends call me ″the bomb" am I still allowed to fly?
It is not clear whether American Airlines and other carriers are investigating all of the prank tweets.
Related News Stories:
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Tricia Handley-Hughes of Inteletravel announces the location for the TravelQuest 2025 conference
Insights from James Ferrara on Inteletravel’s Growth and Future
Tricia Handley-Hughes on Inteletravel’s Growth and Challenges
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Woman dies after getting ‘entangled’ in baggage carousel
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Protestors now targeting Amsterdam cruise calls